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Video Cards: Add AI-Generated or Custom Videos to Your Courses

Video cards let you add visual content through two methods: AI-generated videos or uploaded custom videos. Learn how to create and optimize video quality, understand content moderation, manage captions and subtitles, and troubleshoot common issues.

Updated over 2 weeks ago

What You'll Learn


Overview: When to Use Video Cards

Video cards enhance your microlearning content with compelling storytelling and present information in a format that's easy to digest and remember. They're particularly effective for:

  • Demonstrating processes or procedures - Show, don't just tell

  • Building emotional connection - Human faces create engagement

  • Explaining complex concepts visually - Combine narration with imagery

  • Adding variety to learning experiences - Break up text-heavy content

  • Modeling conversations or scenarios - Prepare learners for real interactions

Key capabilities:

  • Upload custom videos up to 3 minutes long

  • Generate AI videos from text scripts in 40+ languages

  • Choose from multiple AI avatars (limited on Free tier)

  • Control accessibility with subtitles and captions

  • Make videos mandatory or optional

  • Edit and regenerate as needed without starting over

⚠️ Important: While video cards are powerful, avoid overusing them. Multiple videos in a single course can feel overwhelming to learners and increase completion time significantly. Use them strategically for maximum impact.


Two Ways to Add Video

When you add a Video card to your course, you'll see two options:

Convert Text to Video

Generate AI videos by typing or pasting a script. The system automatically detects language, creates natural-sounding voiceover, and pairs it with an AI avatar.

  • Character limit: 700 characters per video (~1 minute of speaking)

  • Free tier limit: Maximum 5 AI-generated videos per course

  • Paid tier limit: Unlimited (within 50 total cards per course)

  • Languages: 40+ supported with automatic detection

  • Generation time: Up to 10 minutes

Upload Video

Upload your own pre-recorded video files for complete creative control.

  • Duration limit: Up to 3 minutes

  • File size limit: Up to 1GB

  • Format: .mp4 recommended (other formats automatically converted)

  • Enterprise Licenses - No quantity limit: Use as many uploaded videos as needed (within 50 total cards per course)

  • Free Tier - 3 video uploads, total


Creating AI-Generated Videos (Text-to-Video)

Step-by-Step Process

  1. Add a Video card to your course from the card type menu

  2. Select "Convert text to video"

  3. Type or paste your script (up to 700 characters) in any of 40+ supported languages

  4. Choose an avatar from the available options

    • Free tier: 3 avatar options

    • Paid tiers: Full avatar library with more diversity

  5. Select voice settings (if available on your plan)

    • Free tier: Automatic voice detection only

    • Paid tiers: Choose accents, expressions, and voice styles

  6. Click "Generate video"

  7. Wait for generation (typically 5-10 minutes)

    • ⏱️ If generation takes longer than 10 minutes, refresh your browser

    • Still not working? Contact support

Need help optimizing your videos? The text-to-video interface includes two helpful resources:

Choosing Avatars and Voices

Avatar Selection:

  • Choose avatars that match your content's tone and audience expectations

  • Consider diversity and representation in your selections

  • On Free plans, you have 3 avatar options; paid plans unlock the full library

Voice Settings:

  • Free tier: Language is automatically detected from your script

  • Paid tiers: Additional options for accents, expressions, and voice styles

  • Voice tone and pacing are optimized automatically for natural delivery

Script Character Limits

Each AI-generated video card has a 700-character maximum (approximately 1 minute of speaking time).

Why this limit?

  • Microlearning works best with focused, bite-sized content

  • Shorter videos maintain learner attention and engagement

  • Forces you to be concise and clear in your messaging

Need longer content?

  • Break your content into multiple video cards with clear progression

  • Mix video cards with other card types (text, quiz) to reinforce learning

  • Consider using Learning Paths to space out related videos over time

Free tier users: Remember you can only include 5 AI-generated videos per course, so plan accordingly.

Content Guidelines & Moderation

⚠️ All AI-generated videos go through automated content moderation before they're available for use. This ensures professional, appropriate content and protects the platform's integrity.

Content moderation process:

  1. You submit your script and click "Generate video"

  2. Your content is automatically reviewed during generation

  3. Videos that pass moderation are available within 10 minutes

  4. Videos that are flagged require manual review (may take up to 24 hours)

  5. Rejected videos will fail to generate and you will be notified to contact support

Common rejection reasons:

Inappropriate language or tone:

  • Profanity, vulgar content, or aggressive language

  • Harassment, bullying, or discriminatory content

  • Content that could be perceived as threatening

Policy violations:

  • Political opinions or campaign content (restricted to enterprise accounts with custom avatars)

  • Medical advice for diagnosis or treatment (informational medical content is allowed)

  • Legal advice or interpretation (general legal information is allowed)

  • Financial advice or specific investment recommendations

  • Misinformation or deceptive content

Tone matters as much as content:

  • Even factual information can be rejected if the tone is inappropriate

  • Keep scripts professional, informational, and respectful

  • Avoid dramatic, alarmist, or sensationalized language

Tips to avoid rejection:

βœ… Keep content professional and business-focused

  • Focus on training, education, and information sharing

  • Use neutral, objective language

  • Provide facts and guidance rather than opinions or advice

βœ… Stay informational, not advisory

  • βœ… "Here are common symptoms of workplace burnout" (informational)

  • ❌ "You should take these medications for burnout" (advice)

βœ… Use proper punctuation and grammar

  • Well-structured scripts are less likely to be flagged

  • Helps the AI voice sound natural and professional

βœ… Test and reword if rejected

  • If your video is rejected, try rephrasing your script

  • Soften strong language or adjust tone

  • Remove any content that could be interpreted as advice rather than information

For complete content moderation policies and additional examples, see: Avoid your video getting rejected

⚠️ Multiple rejections will result in account review and possible ban, so please ensure your content follows guidelines before submitting.


Uploading Your Own Videos

Technical Requirements

File specifications:

  • Maximum duration: 3 minutes

  • Maximum file size: 1GB

  • Recommended format: .mp4 (other formats will be automatically converted)

  • Recommended resolution: 720px Γ— 1200px (vertical) or standard HD resolutions for horizontal

  • Supported aspect ratios: 9:16 (vertical/portrait) or 16:9 (horizontal/landscape)

  • Higher resolution videos: Automatically compressed and optimized

Why vertical (portrait) format? 7taps is designed for mobile-first learning. Vertical videos maximize screen space on mobile devices where most learners consume microlearning content without requiring device rotation.

What about horizontal videos? Horizontal (landscape) videos are fully supported! When learners encounter a horizontal video on a mobile device, they'll be prompted to rotate their device to landscape orientation for the best viewing experience.

Which format should you choose?

  • Vertical (9:16): Best for mobile-first content, talking-head videos, or when learners are on-the-go

  • Horizontal (16:9): Better for demonstrations, screen recordings, or content with important details on the sides

Upload process:

  1. Add a Video card to your course

  2. Select "Upload video"

  3. Choose your video file from your device

  4. Wait for upload and processing

  5. Preview the video to ensure it displays correctly

Best Practices for Uploaded Videos

Before uploading:

  • βœ… Record or export videos in vertical format (9:16 aspect ratio)

  • βœ… Keep videos focused and concise (under 2 minutes is ideal)

  • βœ… Ensure important visual elements are centered

  • βœ… Add captions or subtitles to your video before uploading (if possible)

  • βœ… Test video quality on mobile devices

File optimization:

  • Compress large files before uploading (while maintaining quality)

  • Use .mp4 format to avoid conversion delays

  • Keep resolution at or below 1200px height for faster loading

For detailed technical specifications, see: Custom images & videos


Video Card Settings & Controls

Making Videos Mandatory

You can require learners to watch a video before progressing through the course.

To make a video mandatory:

  1. Click the Settings icon (gear icon) on your video card

  2. Toggle "Make video mandatory" ON

  3. Learners won't be able to continue until they've watched the video

When to use mandatory viewing:

  • Critical safety or compliance information

  • Essential procedures that must be understood before application

  • Key concepts required for subsequent content

When NOT to use mandatory viewing:

  • Supplementary or optional content

  • Long videos that may frustrate engaged learners

  • Content that's reinforced elsewhere in the course

Accessibility: Subtitles vs. Captions

7taps videos include TWO different text options: Auto-subtitles and Closed captions. Understanding the difference is crucial.

🟑 Auto-Subtitles (Yellow Text)

  • Automatically generated and burnt into the video

  • Appear as yellow text at the bottom of the video frame

  • Cannot be edited - they're permanently part of the video

  • Always visible when enabled

  • Great for general viewing and comprehension

βšͺ Closed Captions (White Text Exposed When CC button is Selected)

  • Separate text overlay on top of the video

  • Can be edited after video is generated

  • Can be turned on/off by learners using the CC button

  • Designed for accessibility (deaf or hard of hearing)

  • Fully customizable for spelling, corrections, or clarity

To enable/disable these options:

  1. Click the CC icon (green button) on your video card

  2. In the Accessibility menu, toggle:

    • Auto-subtitles - Provides automatic, accurate subtitles (yellow)

    • Closed Captions - Ensure video is accessible (white, editable)

To edit closed captions (but NOT subtitles):

  1. After your AI video is generated, click the CC button

  2. Select "Closed captions"

  3. Edit the text in the text box

  4. Click "Save"

⚠️ Important: You CANNOT edit the yellow auto-subtitles. This is a top support issue! Many users try to edit subtitles and become frustrated. Remember: yellow subtitles = cannot edit. White captions = can edit.

Need more help with captions and subtitles? We're creating a detailed guide - check back soon or contact support.

Learner Playback Controls

When learners view your video cards, they have several control options:

Auto-caption icons (in playback control bar):

  • Toggles scrolling auto-captions on/off

CC Button (top left of video and in playback control bar):

  • Toggles closed captions on/off

  • Does NOT affect yellow subtitles (always visible when enabled)

Playback Speed (bottom right of video bar):

  • 1x - Normal speed

  • 1.5x - Faster playback

  • 2x - Double speed

These controls help learners consume content at their preferred pace and with their preferred accessibility settings.


Optimizing AI Video Quality

Want to improve pronunciation, pacing, or voice quality in your AI-generated videos? Here are quick tips:

Pronunciation fixes:

  • Use hyphens to break up difficult words: "con-tent" instead of "content"

  • Spell acronyms with spaces if you want them read letter-by-letter: "N Y C" instead of "NYC"

  • Spell numbers how you want them pronounced: "2 5 8 6" instead of "2586"

Pacing and pauses:

  • Use punctuation strategically - commas add short pauses, periods add longer breaks

  • Add manual breaks: <break time="2s" /> for a 2-second pause

  • Separate sentences clearly to avoid rushed delivery

Tone and emphasis:

  • Use quotes to add emphasis: "This is the 'most important' step"

  • Avoid mixing languages in the same script - confuses the AI voice

  • Use proper grammar and punctuation for natural-sounding delivery

For comprehensive AI video optimization guidance, including phonetic spelling, SSML markup, and advanced techniques, see: How to manage AI videos


Account Tier Differences

Video card capabilities vary by account type:

Feature

Free Tier

Paid Tiers (Enterprise)

AI-generated videos

Max 3

Unlimited (within 50 total cards)

Uploaded videos

3 total per free account

Unlimited (within 50 total cards)

Avatar options

3 avatars

Full avatar library

Voice settings

Automatic detection only

Accents, expressions, voice styles

Video duration (AI)

700 characters (~1 min)

700 characters (~1 min)

Video duration (upload)

3 minutes max

3 minutes max

File size (upload)

1GB max

1GB max

Generation time

Up to 10 minutes

Up to 10 minutes


Common Issues & Solutions

"My video was rejected - why?"

Most common reasons:

  • Content violates moderation policies (inappropriate language, advice rather than information, political content)

  • Tone is too aggressive, sensationalized, or unprofessional

  • Script contains profanity or potentially offensive terms

How to fix:

  • Review the Content Guidelines section above

  • Reword your script to be more neutral and informational

  • Remove any advisory language ("you should") and replace with informational language ("here's what typically works")

  • Soften strong opinions or dramatic language

  • Resubmit your script - often minor wording changes resolve the issue

"My video is taking forever to generate"

Expected timeline: Up to 10 minutes

If it's been longer:

  1. Refresh your browser

  2. Check if the video appeared after refresh

  3. Still stuck? Contact support with your course details

Don't repeatedly click "Generate" - this can cause delays and queue multiple requests.

"I want to change the yellow subtitles but can't edit them"

This is our #1 support issue!

Yellow auto-subtitles are burnt into the video and cannot be edited.

Your options:

  1. Edit your script to fix spelling, punctuation, or wording issues

  2. Select the same avatar (or choose a new one)

  3. Click "Generate video" again

  4. Wait 5-10 minutes for the new video to render

  5. The new video will have corrected subtitles

Alternative: Turn off auto-subtitles entirely and rely only on closed captions (which you CAN edit).

"I need to fix pronunciation in my AI video"

Quick fixes:

  • Use hyphens: "de-sert" instead of "desert"

  • Add spaces to acronyms: "N Y C" instead of "NYC"

  • Add breaks: <break time="1s" />

For detailed guidance: See How to manage AI videos

"Can I change the avatar after generating?"

Yes! You don't need to start over.

  1. Click the Settings icon on your video card

  2. Select a different avatar

  3. Click "Generate video" again

  4. Your script stays the same, only the avatar changes

  5. Wait up to 10 minutes for regeneration

"My uploaded video looks wrong or cut off"

Check your aspect ratio:

  • Vertical videos (9:16) display in portrait orientation

  • Horizontal videos (16:9) prompt learners to rotate their device

  • Unusual aspect ratios may have black bars on sides or top/bottom

Solution:

  • Export videos in standard formats: 9:16 for vertical or 16:9 for horizontal

  • Avoid square (1:1) or other non-standard aspect ratios

  • Use 720px Γ— 1200px for vertical or 1920px Γ— 1080px for horizontal

"I hit my Free tier limit of 3 AI videos - now what?"

Options:

  1. Upload custom videos instead - no limit on uploaded videos

  2. Delete unused AI video cards to free up slots for new ones

  3. Upgrade to a paid plan for unlimited AI videos

  4. Mix card types - use text, audio, and other cards alongside your 5 AI videos


Best Practices for Microlearning Videos

Keep videos short and focused:

  • Aim for 30-90 seconds whenever possible

  • One clear concept per video

  • Use multiple short videos rather than one long video

Don't overdo video cards:

  • Multiple videos in one course can feel overwhelming

  • Video increases completion time significantly

  • Mix video with other interactive card types for better engagement

Script for clarity:

  • Write conversationally, not formally

  • Use short sentences

  • Front-load the key message in the first 10 seconds

  • End with a clear takeaway or action step

Design for mobile:

  • Vertical format (9:16) maximizes screen space

  • Center important visual elements

  • Use large, readable text if adding graphics

  • Test on mobile devices before sharing

Consider accessibility:

  • Enable both subtitles AND closed captions

  • Use clear, well-paced speech

  • Avoid relying solely on audio - pair with visual reinforcement

Strategic placement:

  • Use video early in a course to hook learners

  • Place videos before practice/application cards

  • Follow videos with quiz or reflection cards to reinforce learning


Common Questions

Q: Can I use my own avatar instead of the stock options?

A: No. Custom avatars are not supported at this time. You can upload your own videos and play them within 7taps.

Q: What languages are supported for AI-generated videos?

A: 40+ languages with automatic detection.

Q: Can I download my AI-generated videos?

A: No. AI-generated videos are for use within 7taps courses only and cannot be exported or used outside the platform. Violation of this policy results in immediate account deactivation.

Q: Can I use stock footage or copyrighted music in uploaded videos?

A: You're responsible for ensuring you have rights to any content in your uploaded videos. Don't upload content that infringes on others' intellectual property.

Q: How do I know if my video passed moderation?

A: If your video is available and playable in your course editor within 10-15 minutes, it passed moderation. If it's rejected, the video will fail to load and a message will be displayed for you to contact support.

Q: Can I preview my video before publishing the course?

A: Yes! Use the Preview function in your course editor to see exactly how your video will appear to learners.

Q: Do learners need to install anything to watch videos?

A: No. 7taps videos play directly in web browsers on any device - no apps or plugins required.

Q: Can I A/B test different videos in the same course?

A: Not directly within a single course, but you can create duplicate courses with different video variations and track completion rates separately.

Q: What happens if I delete a video card?

A: The video card is removed from your course permanently. For AI-generated videos on Free tier, this frees up one of your 5 slots for a new AI video.


Related Resources

Video-specific guides:

Related card types:

  • Audio Cards - Similar to video cards but audio-only

  • Role-play Cards - Interactive conversations with AI avatars

Need help? Click the Help button in your 7taps editor or contact our support team.


This article is part of the 7taps Help Center. For more guides on creating effective microlearning, visit our complete documentation.

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